Burning Coal Theatre is located in the Oakwood Neighborhood in Downtown Raleigh, NC. It even offers…read morefree parking in an adjoining lot. It is located inside the Murphey School Auditorium. The Murphey School was built in 1908 and is the oldest school building that is still standing in Raleigh. It holds a lot of history; in 1960, the Raleigh City School Board met in the auditorium to desegregate schools. The Murphey School admitted an African American student to integrate. The school was closed in 1977 when Wake County took over the school system. In 1991, the building was converted into housing for low-income seniors. The auditorium was not used, though. Burning Coal raised money, took over the space in 2008, and secured a permanent home. The auditorium was converted to a black box theater with about 150 seats. The building was preserved and kept some features like the exposed brick and the 3-sided balcony; the lobby bar was constructed from reclaimed historic wood. I got the opportunity to see a performance of Once at the theatre. Seating is first come, first served rather than assigned. Tickets run about $30 a piece. There is a lobby that sells beverages and snacks before the performance. But only water is allowed inside the theatre. A line forms, and you get inside the theatre from the line; a few people were trying to cut. They did have a lot of the front row reserved, so it isn't totally first come, first served. The first floor seating was on raised tiers and surrounded the performance area. The balcony was also utilized. In Once the cast are both the actors and the orchestra, playing guitars, mandolins, violins piano and the drums on stage.

Some of the most memorable evenings begin in places you could easily drive past…read more That was our experience at Burning Coal Theatre. Tucked inside the historic Murphey School building in downtown Raleigh, the theater's exterior carries the quiet charm of a former schoolhouse with hints of an old church. It's understated in the best way. A bright red door and simple banner signal that you've arrived somewhere special, where the performance not the façade is meant to take center stage. Inside, the atmosphere is refreshingly unpretentious. The lobby feels welcoming rather than formal, and before the performance began, one of the staff members struck up an easy conversation with my husband that immediately made the space feel like a neighborhood gathering place instead of a traditional theater. The intimate performance space wraps seating around three sides of the stage, creating remarkable proximity between audience and actors. There truly isn't a bad seat in the house. We attended *Shadows in Red Light*, a concert presentation of a new musical by Roné Sargent set against the backdrop of New York City's AIDS epidemic. At its heart, the story follows a mother who believes she is placing her infant in temporary foster care and the daughter who, years later, searches for the woman she believes abandoned her. It is ultimately a story about hope, sacrifice, belonging, and the many ways love can endure through unimaginable circumstances. What impressed me most was how little the production relied on spectacle. There were no elaborate sets or dazzling lighting effects competing for attention. Instead, the performers carried every emotional beat through their voices, expressions, and presence. It was a reminder that exceptional theater doesn't require excess it simply requires extraordinary storytelling and gifted artists willing to trust it. During intermission, I noticed the same level of care throughout the venue. The facilities were spotless, the bar offered a thoughtful selection of beverages, and the overall experience felt relaxed and intentionally curated. We skipped drinks only because we were excited to get back to our seats before the second act began. Parking was plentiful, the staff was warm and welcoming, and every detail contributed to an evening that felt both intimate and unforgettable. In a city with an ever-growing arts scene, Burning Coal Theatre remains one of Raleigh's quiet treasures. If you're looking for theater that values substance over spectacle and storytelling over production value, this is the place. We'll absolutely be back.

This is our first time here but it seems well received and we are happy to be supporting the local…read morearts performers. The performers were great. Very well done. We will be back for future entertainment.

The Wake Forest Renaissance Centre is located in Renaissance Place in Downtown Wake Forest. It is…read morelocated in the same shopping center as Strike & Barrel, Over the Falls, and Dollar General. The shopping center has a large parking lot, but finding a spot has become more challenging. So thankfully, there is street parking and the town parking lot across the street. In the last few years, the Renaissance Centre hasn't had as much variety in performances. The same acts seem to come back year to year rather than getting different performers. They have murder mysteries, comedy acts, storytelling, magic acts, concerts, a film festival, and children's acts. The seating is in office chairs, usually at floor level, which worked better with staggered seats with the sides on angles, as the view was better. Now all the rows are straight, and the chairs are directly behind the others. Some events use round tables, while others use risers to create stadium seating, so they are trying to create a better experience. I hope the upcoming season has some new shows.

Watched Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals at the Hurricanes watch party (the game was in Las Vegas -…read moreso I watched TV with 22,000 friends). The staff were all helpful and friendly. The arena was clean. I am amazed that the parking was free, the tickets were only $10, and all prices went to the Hurricanes Foundation. Had a blast, the money went to charity, and to cap it all of the Canes won! Great time, recommended.

Great venue with a lot of great options. Love all the tech enhancement. I always have a good time…read morehere and every time I go to a show or a game in another stadium I miss it here more haha.

I like to believe I'm in the know with happenings around here, but I gotta confess that if it…read moreweren't for my Dad and StepMom, I might never have found this small tucked-away theatre RIGHT BEHIND Meymandi. (as in, connected to the building...really...if you've never looked back there, like we had not, you might never have noticed it either.) I have now learned that this is where Theatre Raleigh performs their Hot Summer Nights series. This week the new season kicked off with "Vanities". Lauren Kennedy starred in it Off-Broadway and has brought it to us and is directing it. My understanding is she is the mastermind behind the whole series, and let's face it...this talented Broadway star knows her stuff! Today was our first time here (thanks Dad for the tix!) and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Small, intimate theatre that holds around 100. Seating is general admission, but there is literally not a bad seat in the place. We were able to hear every word and see everything from where we landed, which was third row from the back. Seats were comfortable with not-bad leg room. The show, by the way, is fun and the three gals in it are terrific! They were all wonderful singers and great actresses as well. I do believe the show runs for another week or so. I absolutely love the intimacy of this theatre. Love that every show in the series is one I've never seen before and know nothing about. Looking forward to them all. Highly recommend to any and all theatre lovers to check out Theatre Raleigh at the Kennedy Center!

This past Saturday, I attended Theatre Raleigh's production of the Wolf held here at Kennedy…read moreTheater. Free nearby parking is available ,so that was a plus. Picking up tickets at will call went smoothly as well playbills were available. What was not available were 3 seats together. There is no assigned seating and although were were there 10 min before curtain, come early if you want best chances in being accomodated seating wise. As part of their Family series, Theatre Raleigh's The Wolf is a performance was suited for theatre lovers of all ages. I loved the intimacy of the Kennedy Theater as it made us feel like we were apart of the show! If you didn't see this particular show, it is back by popular demand for an encore performance and I highly recommend you plan a family date to attend. It's only 45 minutes long which I found was great amount of time to enjoy theatre with children. This show integrated music, dance, acting and fun into a tale about the Big ,Bad Wolf and all of the childhood stories he shows up in. Theatre Raleigh took a very creative approach in mashing up these fables/tales and put on a quality production. Support the arts and the young talent in Raleigh by attending any of the shows held at Kennedy Theater!

Decided to check this place out since I saw the review for Strange City by Edgar Allan Poe on…read moreIndyweek. If you parked in the back, there is a handy stairway that leads you right to the entrance of the Theatre. Before the show started, one of the employees gave us some ground rules like no talking and no taking pictures or videos. After that, our group wandered into the strange, immersive experience. If you like plays, I definitely recommend checking this place out. It was all of the good things from plays like great performers with an added sense of interactivity. Sure, you can't talk with the performers but you can walk through the sets so it feels like you're in that world that the team worked so hard to create. That sense of being immersed in the scene is what really sets this place apart from other plays that I've been to. As recommended, feel free to explore and wander by yourself. Stay as long as you want to make sure you get all of the interactions with the main character. The main dialogs are all set to repeat after a certain time so if you missed one, you can always come back later to see and hear it. Overall, the performers were excellent and I definitely recommend checking this place out for future performances!

One of the most storied venues in college basketball, the Dean Smith Center (or the 'Dean Dome' as…read moreit's affectionately known) is a modern-day cathedral to the sport, where Tar Heel legends like Kenny Smith, Vince Carter, Jerry Stackhouse and Tyler Hansbrough held court. The rafters are home to a collection of jerseys that could make up the roster for an NBA Legends team, featuring names like Jordan, Worthy, Perkins and Jamison, along with the coach for whom the building is named -- the legendary Dean E. Smith. With a capacity of nearly 22,000, it's one of the largest venues in college hoops, and there's rarely an empty seat in the house when the Heels are playing. The energy here is indescribable -- from the electric pregame festivities to the halftime show, it's one of the best experiences in all of college sports. In 2025, the University of North Carolina began discussions about replacing the 40-year old Dean Dome with a new arena, either elsewhere on campus or at Carolina North, a planned satellite campus a few miles north in Chapel Hill. But while the Dome's aging roof and narrow concourses support a credible argument for a replacement, it's hard to imagine the UNC campus without it. Here's hoping the UNC Board of Trustees sees the wisdom of renovating this wonderful arena to ensure it's continued role in college basketball lore. The Dean Smith Center is an experience no fan of the game should miss!

I attended UNC CH as an undergraduate. This felt like a homecoming of sorts. My husband father in…read morelove and daughter all caught a basketball game in the Smith Center. We had great seats and the heels won!

Cameron Indoor Stadium, home to the Duke Blue Devils, is a storied and historic arena on the campus…read moreof Duke University. Situated amongst the academic halls, the stadium is a bit of a walk from nearby parking. The arena essentially has been the same since its construction and has a capacity for 9314 spectators, making it one of the smallest venues for NCAA basketball. That makes it a tough and expensive ticket to get. I was there last Saturday for their game against the SMU Mustangs who are / were ranked in the top twenty five, so of course the crowd was extra lively. Also, they honored the '01 championship team and Coach K was in attendance. It was a great experience. This arena is "hallowed ground" amongst the fandom of college basketball. The history and tradition of Duke University and their basketball program is unmatched in my honest opinion. I'm lucky enough to have attended two games here, the last one being in '18 against my Alma Mater St John's University who got blown out that day. The amenities here are enough to keep you happy. They have the usual arena fare. Smithfield's has a sandwich cart and there are a few Mexican themed carts for nachos and tacos. I think Alpaca Peruvian Chicken has a cart as well. The concessions offer candy, popcorn, burgers, hot dogs etc.. Nothing extraordinary. You can purchase beer and wine. You are here to watch great basketball and not necessarily for the A+ concession offerings that people expect these days.

As a Duke men's basketball fan since the 90's, it's such a joy living in the same state now that…read morethey play in. I've been to games all over the US to see them play... Las Vegas, Boston, Atlanta among others. There's something different though seeing them play in Cameron Indoor Stadium that I hope every true fan can experience! Been to a few games there now and there's nothing like it. Staff is very friendly and helpful in every way from scanning your tickets to finding your seats. With less than 10,00 seats here, to watch one of the best programs in the country play, this place gets insane! The Cameron Crazies and all the fans get very loud in here. The energy is unmatched. Make sure to come and check out the campus prior to the game, it's absolutely beautiful. Also go check out the campus stores for all your Duke gear/memorabilia needs. I have a man cave in my home with all Duke stuff, which mostly came from here. There's one right across from the stadium. DDMF!

Nice older venue that's been well maintained. Lot of history here! We saw Audra McDonald and the…read moreacoustics were flawless. Seats comfortable. View good from row G on the left. Good signage, had no problem finding our seats. Friendly folks at the door. Clean, nice restroom, with surprisingly less of a wait than I would have expected after a 90 minute show. Only issue is PARKING. Plan accordingly, as there isn't any that we could find on campus, at least not while school is in session. There is plenty of public parking behind Franklin Street on Rosemary, and it's a short walk. TIP: The Carolina Inn is within close walking distance. Great spot for a before or after drink, snack or meal. Of course Franklin Street is full of places as well.

What's that you say? A performance space that's younger than my grandfather? At UNC? Surely you…read morejest! At a university renowned for old, crappy arts spaces, Memorial Hall is a breath of non-crappy air. It's enormous, well-appointed, and actually draws some decent shows. I actually got the opportunity to take a tour through this place, all the way down to its technical bowels, and it's pretty fantastic. The seats are comfortable, the staff helpful, and the ambiance charming. Ticket prices vary by show, but that's to be expected. If you don't come here, don't let it be because you're worried about the theatre.